The internet has allowed more people to connect than ever before, whether for better or for worse. As much as people use the internet for constructive and fun purposes, others use it to perform a new kind of bullying: cyberbullying.

Let's explore the definition of cyberbullying and how to prevent it.

What Is Cyberbullying?

If the definition of bullying is harassing and insulting someone in real life, then cyberbullying takes this concept onto the digital world. The basic premise of bullying is still there, but the methods are executed using devices or online services.

There are plenty of ways to contact someone these days, from phones to instant messaging apps. A bully can abuse these features and use them to harass whoever's sitting on the other side.

Cyberbullying can range from calling some a rude name to harassing them to the point of breaking. As such, if someone begins to experience cyberbullying, it's important to nip it in the bud before it gets too bad.

The effects of cyberbullying can be as devastating as physical bullying. This can range from a temporary bout of sadness or anger to the victim experiencing long-lasting damage.

Examples of Cyberbullying

Due to the different ways of communication online, cyberbullying can manifest in various forms. As such, it can be hard to stamp out every channel of potential abuse fully.

Sending Harmful Messages Through Social Media

A phone displaying Twitter

Cyberbullying on social media is one of its most prevalent forms. From commenting on someone's Facebook post to Tweeting at them, there are plenty of ways for a bully to get their message seen by their victim.

Social media has pretty lax monitoring when it comes to posting content. It usually relies on people reporting the tweet after it's been posted and performs automatic moderation such as hiding reported tweets.

When the cyberbully hits send, however, the message is posted without much scrutiny. This gives the victim plenty of time to see it before it's reported and taken down---if it ever is.

Targeting Victims In Chat-Based Software

Social media websites are not the only place where people can connect. Software like Discord also allows people worldwide to talk to one another within a server, which is broken down into separate chatrooms for different topics.

These services typically place all of the power onto the person who created the server, who can then appoint a moderator team to help keep things running. As such, the quality of moderation entirely depends on how efficient the administrator and his team are.

Some servers have a strict ruleset and will crack down on malicious comments the moment they appear. Some will even deploy automated moderation such as Discord bots that remove offensive messages before anyone can read them.

However, others will have a much looser approach and allow people to say hurtful things without much repercussion. This then creates an environment where people feel free to say whatever is on their mind; harmful or not.

These services also allow people to send direct messages (shortened to "DMs"). The services typically allow server members to message each other by default.

Creating Websites Intended to Ridicule the Victim

It's pretty quick and easy to construct a website these days, making them a useful tool for cyberbullies. They can make a website that discusses the victim in a harmful way and then spreads it in secret.

The website may slander the victim and call them rude names. It may contain edited images of the person or encourage visitors to leave hateful comments about the person.

A website may include more than just one person. It may include photos of multiple victims and invite people to rate and comment on each one.

"Griefing" People in Video Games

Someone playing Minecraft on a tablet

Sometimes a cyberbully isn't someone who knows the victim in real life. Video games allow bullies to harass other players using in-game chat or actions.

A lot of multiplayer games have a way for people to communicate with one another. This may be through typing text or speaking through a microphone.

These communications are meant for collaboration or lighthearted talk, but sometimes a game will get heated. Either a teammate will get competitive, or the opposing team will have rude things to say.

The bully can also perform certain in-game actions to "grief" other players. For instance, in a game like Minecraft, an uncontrolled griefer can destroy other player's creations. In team games, someone can deliberately target one player and harass them over everyone else.

How to Prevent Cyberbullying

A victim of cyberbullying

If you are a victim of cyberbullying, it's imperative to use the available tools. While moderation on social media is somewhat lax, it does give you tools to self-moderate your feed and see only what you want to see.

Most social media sites have a way to block a user that's causing you trouble. If someone is harassing you to the point of grief, don't be afraid to pull the trigger and block them.

If people use a specific term to describe you, your race, gender, or sexuality, you can filter the term from your feed. This will prevent any messages that include those terms from appearing on your feed. Be sure to check out our guide on filtering toxic comments on social media to learn more.

It's a good idea not to get yourself in a position where someone can insult or grief you. If you play a game that supports player-made servers, find one with good moderation, and become a regular. Games without player-made servers may come with a "mute chat" option to prevent toxicity, albeit at the price of team communication.

You can't really block or turn off someone creating a website to mock you. However, you can check to see if the website hosting service has something in their terms of service.

These services typically don't allow people to create websites that harass people, so get in contact with the host's customer support and report the site. There's a good chance that the website will violate the terms of service and get taken down.

How to Tell If Someone Is Being Cyberbullied

If you have a child or friend that you suspect is a target for cyberbullying, it may not be inherently obvious. Sometimes people feel embarrassed to say that they're being harassed in a game or on Facebook as if people "wouldn't get it."

It would help if you looked for signs that someone's going through a rough time. For instance, do they seem happy first, then their mood seemingly plummets after using a specific service or playing a certain game? Have they created negative opinions of themselves that seemingly come out of nowhere?

If you do think someone is being bullied online, try to bring it up with them. You may find that they're sad for "strange reasons;" for example, someone may be upset that someone blew up their Minecraft house.

However, people put a lot of passion and effort into their games, and when someone messes it up, it can be emotionally aggravating. It's like if you spend hours making something in real life and someone destroys it to get a rise out of you.

As such, regardless of how odd you may find it, it's understandable if someone is upset over someone's actions in a game or website. Try to see it from their perspective and work out a way to prevent them from harm in the future.

Stopping the Cyberbullies

The internet has brought with it the ability to send messages around the world in an instant---but with that comes cyberbullying. Now you know the different kinds of bullying and what to do if you or someone you know encounters toxicity online.

If you're worried about kids being bullied online, there are plenty of games they can play to improve their online security. These games also teach kids how to protect their data online, such as using strong passwords.

Image Credit: asiandelight / Shutterstock.com